Animal-catcher.



V. RAMBAUD.

ANIMAL UATGHER.

Arrx mulon mm) 001.7, 1908.

Patented Feb INVEN OR THE NORRIS PETERS ca. WASHINGTON, n. c.

VICTOR RAMBAUD, OF BITTER CREEK, WYOMING.

ANIMAL-CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

Application filed October 7, 1908. Serial No. 456,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIo'roR RAMBAUD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bitter and State of Wyoming, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Animal-Catchers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to implements employed for catching animals byengaging with the legs thereof, they being largely used by shepherds andcare takers of sheep, though they are equally well adapted for catchingother animals.

It has for its object to produce an implement of this kind which, whenonce made to engage wit-h the leg of an animal will securely hold thelatter, resisting all attempts of the animal to free itself by kickingor other movements.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of an implementembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a dctail viewin perspective, and enlarged as compared with the other views, showingthe catch and some of the parts of the implement immediately adjacentthereto.

The implement to be applied to the end of a handle or staff, being atits rear or inner end provided with a socket 2 or other means ofattachment. A plate 3, either integral with the socket 2 or madeseparate therefrom and attached thereto, as preferred, extends forwardand constitutes the base or the support element of the tool orimplement. Its outer end is curved, as indicated at 4, to assist inguiding the-article into engagement with the leg of the animal intendedto be caught, as is usually done in this class of devices. A post orstandard 6 rises from the plate 3 and is placed approximately midwaybetween its ends, and upon this is pivoted the movable jaw or arm 7 ofthe device. That portion of the bar or plate 3 that extends forward beyond the standard 6 constitutes the stationary jaw or arm of theimplement, and when the movable jaw is swung down into the closedposition indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 there is a spaceinclosed by the jaws or arms in which the leg of an animal may beconfined.

The outer end of the pivoted and movable jaw is curved as indicated at8, and its eX- treme end 9 is adapted, when swung down Creek, in thecounty of Sweetwater nerein shown is adapted or toward the other jaw, topass through an aperture 5 provided therefor in the plate 3. I prefer toprovide it with a relatively large loo-p into which a cord B may besecured for opening the jaw, this cord extending backward along thestafi so as to be within convenient reach of the user of the device. Theloop 10 is so shaped as to constitute an inclined guide leading towardthe opening into the space between the two arms, 3 and 7, it and thecurved end 4: of the plate 8 serving to direct the implement when thrustforward into engagement with an animals leg causing the latter to enterthe space between the point 9 of the movable jaw and the opposing faceof the stationary one.

A spring 11 is attached to the base plate 3 and engages with the innerend of the arm 12 of the pivoted jaw 7 which, as will be seen, is alever of the first order. The spring thus acts upon the lever to thegreatest of advantage, permitting a relatively long and weak spring tobe employed, thereby reducing the liability of breakage or deteriorationfrom use. As shown in the drawings I prefer that the connection betweenthe spring and the end of the arm 12 should be constant, the end of thearm being represented as of hook shape and passing through an aperturein the end portion of the spring. The spring 11 is preferably a flatleaf spring as represented in the drawings and is supported so as to liesubstantially parallel with the jaws of the implement and in rear of themovable jaw 7 which it actuates.

In order to hold the loop or catcher in open position, indicated in fulllines, Fig. 1, which is the position the parts are caused to assume whenan animal is to be caught, I employ a sliding catch 14: formed with ahook 18 adapted to engage with an inclinedfaced offset 19 of the springand hold it under tension when desired. This catch device 14 is movableand is supported and directed in its movement-s by the standards 6 and13. The catch is preferably slotted as represented at 15, and a pin 16carried by the standard 13 lies in the slot and limits the movements ofthe catch. The front portion 17 of the movable catch piece extendsforward beyond the support or standard 6, into a position to be engagedby the leg of an animal as it enters the space between the arms 3 and 7of the hook. This engagement of the leg with the sliding catch pieceoperates to move the latter backward,ndisrv engaging or tripping thecatch 18 from the spring allowing the latter to throw the mov-' able-armor jaw toward the stationary one and-into locking position. y y 7 Inorder to release the leg of the animal when the movable arm or jaw may.be released, and'the catch aliowedto hold the:

parts. in open position; 7

By providing the spring with the caste contact piece 119, the upperfaceof which isinclined, the ready engagement of the catch therewith andits release therefrom is facilitated,- -the spring and jaw beingperfectly free, to inove after the disengagern elit has been effected;What Iclaim is: V 1

' 1].,Injan animal catching implement, the combination of the jawsarranged to define a leg-receiving opening one of the jaws being a leverof the'first order, a spring having a was constant. connection with theend of the inner arm of the said lever jaw and extending beyond thesame, anda' sliding catch device arranged to engage with the springadjacent Ltoits connection with the .jaw for holding the spring undertension and the lever jaw in open position, arranged to be tripped bythe leg of mammal as it enters the opening between the jaws.

2. In an anlmal catching implement, the.

combination of a bar adapted to be secured to the end of a staff, theouter end of which is turned outward so as to constitute one of theleg-holding jaws, a standard rising from thebar, a jaw pivoted to thesaid standard intermediatebetween its ends, the outer end of the pivotedjaw being curved, a'spring connectedwith the end of the inner arm of thepivoted jaw, a slidingcatch located between the jaws and arranged toengage with the spring to hold it under tension, and a guide carried bythe said bar for supporting the catch and directing its movements.

' VICTOR RAMBAUD.

WVitnesses: j

T. S. TALIOFERRO, J12,

LAURA E. SMITH.

Copies offt h is patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner'of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

